Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-05-14
ART AND ARTISTS,
The Studio Of Mr.. George N. Ottin,
ger, Utah's Oldest and Most
Successful Artist.
A Graduate Of the Academy Of Art at
Philadelphia-His Studies of
Mexican Life.
His Experience In Trying To Sou
Pictures for What They
Are Worth.

ANt WOrtn.
A DEMOCRAT representative spent abor,
two hours very pleasantly the other dor
in the studio Of Mr.. Geo. u. Ottinno-
viewing his fine collection OF paintin,1
and listening TO the instructive convarsa
tlon OF the artist. His are mostly bistor-
ical works, and it is necessary for q ros
son to hear their history before he co.
fully appreciate their merits. Mr. n.
finger, ever since his boyhood, has talon
an unusual interest in Old Mexico and
her people, and we presume that he il
better posted on that country and its in,
habitants than any person in the United
States. He spent several years there has
purchased over thousand dollars worth
of books and maps, has read extensively
and these combined with his observing
nature and good memory have well quail
ned him for his favorite theme. Mr., OF
finger Is natural born artist, and he
says that he cannot remember the time
when he could not draw tolerably well
In his younger days he had a passionate
desire to learn to draw and paint. and il
was his sole ambition to become an art
list, but his parents being Quakers would
not permit him to study art, therefore he
saw that in order to accomplish his dp-
sign he would be compelled to leave
home; so he engaged himself for three
years to the captain of a whale shin and
Immediately commenced his perilous adj.
ventures: he served one year and a half
as whaler, then he went to Mexico and
remained there some time studying the
customs and habits OF the natives; from
there he went to Peru, thence to San
Francisco, Sandwich Islands, China Ia
pan and back to Philadelphia. his home.
he was Just twenty years old the dav he
arrived home. Very few men at the ACE
of twenty have had such an experience
as he had. He went to the Art Academy
of Philadelphia, passed an examination
and was admitted as a student; he asked
the professor how long he would have to
study drawing before be could commence
pain ting, and was told it would be three
years, studying six hours per dav:
he then asked if he studied twelve hours
a day If he could get through in eighteen
the teacher told him he might
try. He started in, and at the expra-
ton oi eighteen months he had accom-.
plished as much as the ordinary student
would have done in three years. We do
not publish the foregoing items with tile
of giving Mr. Ottinger's his
tory, but merely to give an idea OF his
will and ambition. Just
think, he left his home when nothing but
! boy, and went through perils, hard
ships and dangers for a number OF years
% obtain money to pay his tuition, and
hen TO study twelve hours eacn day,
when six hours was the allotted time.
We never hear Of boys in these times
such miraculous things as he
lid to accomplish any branch of science
'r art. Mr.. Ottinger is the pioneer
lrtist OF Utah, and for a number OF years
ne was the only artist in the Territory.
t was uphill business with him for quite
! number of years after he came here,
not being able to obtain the proper ma
erials for his profession, and when he
Gould, paying exorbitant prices for them,
md finding no sale for his paintings
when finished; but notwithstanding all
hese Universities, he never for a moment
his pursuits, but plodded on
With the same untiring spirit that has
tamped his career ever since his boy
FOODS days, and twenty-five wears ago
be writer of this article has fre1uenty
cen him fifteen or twenty miles up some
our canyons, afoot, with his sketch
OK and umbrella across his shoulder, in
earch of suitable subjects for his pic
Tres. He was too poor to buy or hire a
orse, but whenever he thought that ne
'antcd a sketch in certain locality, he
ways got it. He has done considerable
ainting of late, and ne has a large num-
er OF excellent paintings on hand, en-
racing variety of subjects, including
lndscapes, figures and portraits; he
lso teaches u class in drawing at the
'eseret University. His paintings
II have systematic and an
rtistic effect, showing at once that they
rere executed by master hand, and
ney take in great variety of scenery,
epresenting scenes in Utah, Colorado,
.ellowstone Park, Shoshone, Yosemite.
Ievada, Southern California, Europe
nd Mexico; besides his painting, he
as an endless amount OF sketches, all
lken from nature. The pictures that
ttracted our attention the most were his
1exican and Peruvian subjects; they
re entirely out of the ordinary line, and
ave been gotten up with such taste and
kill that we could not help gazing on
1em with admiration. The artist has
lade specially of this style OF subjects,
nd we presume that he has produced
lore historical paintings of these coun-
les than all the other artists in the
'orld. We will not endeavor to criti
se his works separately, for he has so
lany and they are all so well finished
nat we do not know where to commence,
nd had we time and space we would
OF attempt, for We feel our inability to
the artist justice. Utsh is certainly
D place for person who has the genius
nd talent that Mr.. Ottinger has, and it
,ems almost a pity for him to waste his
me in place like this where mis- works
-e not appreciated; were he living in
ny large city in the United States or the
d country, there is no doubt but what
3 would find ready sale for his works,
nd at good prices. To substantiate our
markS We will relate q little crcum-
ance that happened 4 few years ago.
n. Ottinger had pair of figure paint
gs (Mexican subiects) and was asking
90 for the pair; several of our wealth
st citizens had been up to his studio,
I'd seen the paintings, wanted to buy
Iem, but would not give more than the
significant sum of $50 for the pair, and
e presume would have wanted them
egantly framed in the bargain. About
at time Mr.. 0ttinger was anticipating
visit to Europe, and day or so before
} started he was in his studio, and the
ought struck him that he would take the
Iir OF pictures along, so he rolled them
}, put them in his valise and took them
lth him. The next day after his arrival
Liverpool he went 20 the Guion Steam
lip Company's Office to transact some
lsiness, and the agent, with whom Mr..
finger was acquainted, asked him if he
I'd brought any of his paintings with
m; he unrolled the two he had and
cked them upon the wall and left the
ice; a few hours afterwards he returned
ID number of gentlemen were looking
his paintings; one Of them asked him
nat his price was, and he said that he
ID not set any price on them yet, and
g gentleman offered him 5000 for them
IL